Mercedes-Benz has announced comprehensive integration between Apple's iPhone and its new A-Class line of vehicles, including support for the Siri virtual assistant found in the iPhone 4S.

Parent company Daimler recently took the wraps off an in-house-developed "Digital DriveStyle App" that will combine with a Drive Kit Plus for iPhone to incorporate the smartphone with the car's multimedia system. According to the company, all iPhone integration functions can be used with Mercedes-Benz's entry-level Audio 20 system.

The "Digital DriveStyle App" will include access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and will be able to download "free of charge" from Apple's iTunes Store. Other highlighted features include personalized Internet radio, navigation software from Garmin, a "Car Finder" and access to Siri.

Mercedes-Benz is touting itself as the "first automotive manufacturer" to bring Apple's new voice-recognition software to a vehicle through its custom "Digital DriveStyle App." The iPhone will be connected via an interface that was developed by the company's accessories division and will output the handset's display to the vehicle's display while simultaneously powering and charging the device.

The A-Class will make its world premiere at the Geneva Auto Show next month. The advanced iPhone integration will eventually make its way into the automaker's B-, C- and E-Class lines this fall, according to the company's statement.

Mercedes-Benz is also building out its own cloud-based multimedia system, dubbed COMAND Online. The system, which was introduced last year, accesses the Internet through a Bluetooth link with a mobile phone and a VPN. A News app for the service is set to arrive late next month, with a number of other apps planned, including Parking Finder and Morningstar Finance. Daimler revealed that it has set up App Development Groups in California and India and plans to release "a dozen or so new applications" each year.

Mercedes-Benz has worked to pioneer support for Apple's devices in its cars in the past. It became the first automaker to offer full iPod integration in 2005 when it jointly announced with Apple the iPod Integration Kit for its vehicles.

The company has also put Apple's iPad to use inside its U.S. dealerships as a sales tool. A pilot program in 2010 tested the device at 40 dealerships, before being rolled out to all locations nationwide later that year.

Apple released Siri in beta as a major selling point of the iPhone 4S last October. Though the feature currently only remains available on the company's latest handset, Siri is expected to eventually make its way into other Apple products. Some have speculated that the third-generation iPad, which will be unveiled at a media event on March 7, could be the second device to incorporate the service.

The Cupertino, Calif., company revealed in a recent television commercial that it believes Siri is of particular use when driving. The ad, entitled "Road Trip," highlighted Siri as an invaluable companion during one couple's cross-country road trip.

Really? My 2012 BMW is pretty lame in its iPhone integration which is no different from my 2011. Please elaborate on your knowledge. Perhaps I need to contact BMW to ask why this feature was omitted from my vehicle.

The next mega business opportunity for Apple, after the living room: the driver's seat! (No pun intended).

Yep. This is just a natural path to follow after the living room as well as the enterprise. I'm sure something like this has been in the works for a while now but I'm sure Apple will get more and more deeply involved as time goes by with the major auto companies.

Apple still has a long way to go as far as conquering the living room. After that, I can even imagine Apple getting into home automation and even security industry. Long-term, another area Apple may be able to break into with disruption in mind could be the energy sector - mainly in the green renewable area, not oil, gas, coal and stuff like that.

But in the meantime, the living room and the driver's seat should keep Apple plenty busy!

Really? Isn't Siri still considered beta until it gets full functionality & use in other countries? I just checked the Apple website, yup beta. Seems short sighted to integrate another company's technology, that is only beta, into your own product.
Merc doesn't usually jump on the bandwagon with stuff so I'm sure they thought it through, but universal integration (internationally) would be a better implementation & trickle through the entire line rather than just the A Class.

Not a huge selling feature for me (although I love my iPhone). Bring it to my M class.

This is a mercedes thing. It has nothing to do with apple. I don't understand how this is "good for apple" as others are saying. Did I read it wrong?

They're just using the technology of the phone. I'm sure the UI will suck just like every other automaker or alpine, pioneer, infinity- take your pick.

Sorry to sound Debbie downer, but if apple made a device, partnered with an auto manufacturer, or at least designed it- then id be excited. But this will be just another attempt at trying to be like apple, say its compatible to help with sales- and be a big let down. Just my thought based on past announcements (like last year with pioneers iPhone exclusive car radio- what a joke).

Really? Isn't Siri still considered beta until it gets full functionality & use in other countries? I just checked the Apple website, yup beta. Seems short sighted to integrate another company's technology, that is only beta, into your own product.
Merc doesn't usually jump on the bandwagon with stuff so I'm sure they thought it through, but universal integration (internationally) would be a better implementation & trickle through the entire line rather than just the A Class.

Not a huge selling feature for me (although I love my iPhone). Bring it to my M class.

Interesting though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andysol

This is a mercedes thing. It has nothing to do with apple. I don't understand how this is "good for apple" as others are saying. Did I read it wrong?

They're just using the technology of the phone. I'm sure the UI will suck just like every other automaker or alpine, pioneer, infinity- take your pick.

Sorry to sound Debbie downer, but if apple made a device, partnered with an auto manufacturer, or at least designed it- then id be excited. But this will be just another attempt at trying to be like apple, say its compatible to help with sales- and be a big let down. Just my thought based on past announcements.

All this is essentially Apple working with Mercedes (and likely others) to get the same control action that one uses to initiate Siri to work just like their cars have worked with iPhones and iPods in the past to start/stop/select music and phone calls. This was expected. There is nothing head-scratchingly bizarre about this arrangement. This is a handsfree personal assistant while you drive.

As for Siri being Beta, it's an interesting situation. This is very much a new tech innovated in a new way that is not like the previous voice control systems or ye ol' Siri app for iPhone even though it is the foundation for Apple's iteration. This is beta because it's immature but it won't ever become mature without mass usage. That doesn't mean it's not ready to be used, that it will vanish like Sherlock or Front Row apps, or that Mercedes will no longer start. It just needs time... and least a dozen more languages.

This bot has been removed from circulation due to a malfunctioning morality chip.

Will never own a mercedes. Don't like them. I do not like what they did to Chrysler. Kind of like what the Nazi's did to the Jews. Hostile take over stripped them of all valuable's (in this case chrysler was stripped of its good tech) and then dumped to die and sink to the bottom.

Also Mercedes owns Freight liner and put mercedes engines in the trucks and they were the worse ever and freight liner almost went belly up because of mercedes and their treatment of the US based company.

Will never own a mercedes. Don't like them. I do not like what they did to Chrysler. Kind of like what the Nazi's did to the Jews. Hostile take over stripped them of all valuable's (in this case chrysler was stripped of its good tech) and then dumped to die and sink to the bottom.

Also Mercedes owns Freight liner and put mercedes engines in the trucks and they were the worse ever and freight liner almost went belly up because of mercedes and their treatment of the US based company.

So who gives a rats ass what mercedes does.

Here is a hot clue for you mate, Chrysler never had ANY good technology, none, that is why Daimler kicked them to the curb, because they sucked, there was nothing to strip from Chrysler accept numbers off balance sheets from black into red ink; Chrysler was a complete deadweight company.

Fiat jumped into bail them out just like our governments had to... waste of money.

I don't know why it's just going to be in the little Benz. I'd love to have full iPhone with Siri integration in my E-Class AMG. Along with an accessible iPhone docking connection in the center console so the phone is always fully charged. I want to make calls hands-off and have the audio played through my car's stereo system which is auto-muted when calls are made or received.

Is that too much to ask, Mercedes?

I spend an incredible amount of time every day creeping along in traffic in a hands-off mobile phone state. Sure would be nice to manage calls, calendars, texts, restaurant look-ups, etc. via my Siri iPhone without having to wear an earbud.

Considering the late Steve Jobs' love of Mercedes-Benz cars, it's only fitting Mercedes make this a product-wide world-class integration.

Will never own a mercedes. Don't like them. I do not like what they did to Chrysler. Kind of like what the Nazi's did to the Jews. Hostile take over stripped them of all valuable's (in this case chrysler was stripped of its good tech) and then dumped to die and sink to the bottom.

Also Mercedes owns Freight liner and put mercedes engines in the trucks and they were the worse ever and freight liner almost went belly up because of mercedes and their treatment of the US based company.

So who gives a rats ass what mercedes does.

You don't own any Apple stock, do you.

Sucks to be you.

"That (the) world is moving so quickly that iOS is already amongst the older mobile operating systems in active development today." — The Verge

I don't know why it's just going to be in the little Benz. I'd love to have full iPhone with Siri integration in my E-Class AMG. Along with an accessible iPhone docking connection in the center console so the phone is always fully charged. I want to make calls hands-off and have the audio played through my car's stereo system which is auto-muted when calls are made or received.

Is that too much to ask, Mercedes?

I spend an incredible amount of time every day creeping along in traffic in a hands-off mobile phone state. Sure would be nice to manage calls, calendars, texts, restaurant look-ups, etc. via my Siri iPhone without having to wear an earbud.

Considering the late Steve Jobs' love of Mercedes-Benz cars, it's only fitting Mercedes make this a product-wide world-class integration.

I think Mercedes feels that anyone that drives an E-class has a hot assistant sitting in the passenger seat to do such mundane tasks.

"That (the) world is moving so quickly that iOS is already amongst the older mobile operating systems in active development today." — The Verge

I don't know why it's just going to be in the little Benz. I'd love to have full iPhone with Siri integration in my E-Class AMG. Along with an accessible iPhone docking connection in the center console so the phone is always fully charged. I want to make calls hands-off and have the audio played through my car's stereo system which is auto-muted when calls are made or received.

Is that too much to ask, Mercedes?

Have you got any idea on the development cycles in the automotive industry ? Their development needs to tie into a (published) API from the OS too and has to be robust and instant on. Now integrating this into a real time OS is actually quite a challenge, that is why retrofitting won't work. Unless you want your car to be powered by Linux or Windows. I excluded OSX as their near annual release cycle is way too short for corporate environments

Here is a hot clue for you mate, Chrysler never had ANY good technology, none, that is why Daimler kicked them to the curb, because they sucked, there was nothing to strip from Chrysler accept numbers off balance sheets from black into red ink; Chrysler was a complete deadweight company.

Fiat jumped into bail them out just like our governments had to... waste of money.

If Chrysler had nothing to offer, then what does that make Mercedes for going through with the deal?

Wow, that interior is of a MERCEDES??? It looks like it belongs to a Dodge or Pontiac. That's terrible looking! Is that screen just clipped on to the dash or something?

Ford should get their Sync system working better with Apple and integrate Siri. It sort of works now, in that if you initiate Siri on the phone you can use the hands free microphone to talk, and listen over the car speakers. It weirdly thinks you are making a phone call to yourself during this. It would be nice if they could get the steering wheel buttons to work with it.

Nothing against Mercedes, but I don't need that smart of a car, when I have the smartness in my pocket.

I think that's what they're talking about. You will continue to use your own iPhone, but the interface will be better integrated with the car. At least, that's what I get from "will combine with a Drive Kit Plus for iPhone to incorporate the smartphone with the car's multimedia system"

I doubt if you even have to snap it into the dash - it will probably use Bluetooth.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13